Last night I stayed up late reading a book. I’d been wanting to relax with a good book for a few days and I saw a book at the library that interested me. As usual I get into a book and don’t want to put it down. Somewhere around 2 AM my better judgment FINALLY kicks in and I close the book and go to sleep.

There’s only one problem… I always know before picking up a book that I’ll spend hours reading it in the evening/early AM hours. I always know that in so doing, I’ll probably forgo any meaningful prayer.

I pondered this on my way to work this morning. I began to think on “friendship with God”. I thought of a good friend of mine in Florida. We are able to converse on so many different levels. We talk on the phone about work stuff like technology and management. We are able to fellowship around the Word of God, and always readily able to make wisecracks that send the other hurtling in throes of laughter. I enjoy our conversations…they are interesting and fun.

As I reflected on my premeditated foregoing of meaningful prayer the night before…I thought to myself, “You are a better friend to your brother in florida than you are to God.” This is not to say that I don’t enjoy talking to the Lord, or that I would choose a phone conversation with my buddy over one with God. I just know, that my conversations with him seem to have more quality sometimes than my “conversations” with the Lord.

It’s just that we as humans tend to forget that we can have that kind of personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We forget that He too lived a life just like us. He was tempted in all counts like we are (Heb 4:15)…so he knows just what kinds of things we’re going through. He was a man in all aspects. He probably liked sports…but didn’t idolize them. He probably would enjoy a Mt. Dew now and again if they had them back then. I have no reason to believe that he didn’t converse with friends about work and such, and I’m sure without question He fellowshipped around the Word of God with others. I’m sure He laughed at quips made by others. He was, after all, a man.

We forget that so much. We place Him so far away in His eternalness. We push Him off to some big unknown, unseen God. We forget that He came to be a kinsman to us.

Don’t get me wrong, I respect my Lord Jesus as the Almighty God. That position demands my respect, gravity, and fear. Yet, I feel that while that is true, I feel He’d also like to be one of the guys every now and then, and be able to just be our friend. Why don’t I talk about life in general and humorous things to God? Do I think He’s too busy? Do I think He doesn’t care? Do I think He’s all “business”??

I know I’ve covered the topic of being a friend of God before, but it’s all coming back and being renewed to me again. God wants to be my friend, just like He was with Abraham. I want to be a better friend to Him, not only as an obedient and faithful servant, but as a brother, just like I am to my brother in Florida.

How about you… are you a good friend to Jesus?